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Topic: 2011 SN Celebration (Read 4522 times)

Picked up a six of this at my local market this evening. I think they changed the recipe

I love this beer and look forward to its release every year. It's such a great balance of malt and hops. I'm buying a couple of 12s as soon as I see them this year. It disappeared pretty fast in my neck of the woods last year. My market still has some 12s of Tumbler to get rid of, unfortunately.

Haven't seen it around these parts yet, but I always look forward to SNCA. It's a real gem, pretty darn close to perfection.I always hear, every year, comments that they've changed the recipe....but I wonder if it isn't just year to year variation in the raw ingredients. Has anyone at SN ever commented on whether the main recipe has actually changed (or not) over the years?

In any case, this beer has never disappointed me. It's been a fave of mine since it first became available in NJ.

but I wonder if it isn't just year to year variation in the raw ingredients. Has anyone at SN ever commented on whether the main recipe has actually changed (or not) over the years?

i really think that is all it is - according to SN, the recipe has always been to use the first of the newly dried hop harvest - so there is bound to be natural variation - couple that with a little taste amnesia since we don't have it year round and there you go.

hell I remember Centennials being subpar in either 2009 or maybe even last year - made my Centennial heavy beers a lot more resiny and harsh than in year's past. No reason it doesn't happen to the pros.

Bought my annual case last night, though I had a few bottles last weekend - great as always - its super fresh right now and is really nice and complex if you let it warm up a bit before indulging - looking forward to enjoying it more this fall!

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The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

I keep reading all of these comments and laughing. Since this is a homebrew site, make your own SNCA and you'll have the consistency you want. It's a very simple recipe and all over the web. Dean ?, last name fails me, has nailed the recipe, IMO.

I keep reading all of these comments and laughing. Since this is a homebrew site, make your own SNCA and you'll have the consistency you want. It's a very simple recipe and all over the web. Dean ?, last name fails me, has nailed the recipe, IMO.

its Dean Larson. Good recipe, but I am more inclined to try the CYBI recipe given by Steve Dressler next time I'm inclined to brew a clone - seems more intuitive.

As for buying it - this is one of the beers I just enjoy purchasing - I do brew SNCA-ish beers on occasion, but I usually get my fill once a year for $30/case. Its a very different beer than my house IPA which is much more southern california style. Perhaps its just nostalgia.

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The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

I keep reading all of these comments and laughing. Since this is a homebrew site, make your own SNCA and you'll have the consistency you want. It's a very simple recipe and all over the web. Dean ?, last name fails me, has nailed the recipe, IMO.

its Dean Larson. Good recipe, but I am more inclined to try the CYBI recipe given by Steve Dressler next time I'm inclined to brew a clone - seems more intuitive.

As for buying it - this is one of the beers I just enjoy purchasing - I do brew SNCA-ish beers on occasion, but I usually get my fill once a year for $30/case. Its a very different beer than my house IPA which is much more southern california style. Perhaps its just nostalgia.

Yes, it's Larson, thank you. How is the other recipe different? Do you have a link to it?

I brewed something similar to the second recipe and got pretty close. The real key that isn't mentioned there is that they use English crystal malt, which has a much different character than domestic crystal. I used Simpsons medium.Here's a link to the interview:http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/660